Bidirectional wireless number pad and keyboard

ABSTRACT

The present invention uniquely separates the number pad from a keyboard providing a separate, wireless device. This separate wireless device with the number pad includes a display and has multiple modes of operation.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of patent application Ser. No.10/613,512, filed Jul. 3, 2003, entitled “Bidirectional Wireless NumberPad and Keyboard,” the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated byreference, which is a continuation-in-part of design patent applicationSerial No. 29/183,333, filed Jun. 9, 2003, entitled, “Wireless NumberPad”, and design patent application Serial No. 29/183,332, filed Jun. 9,2003, entitled, “Wireless Keyboard.” The 10/613,412 application isrelated to co-pending application Ser. No. 60/484,629, filed Jul. 3,2003, entitled “Wireless Input Devices for Computer System”, thedisclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to wireless computer input devices, and inparticular to keyboards using Bluetooth™ wireless technology.

Microsoft has recently released a combination wireless keyboard andmouse using Bluetooth™ technology, which communicates with a wirelesshub. The hub connects to the computer via a cable to the USB port of thecomputer.

Logitech, the assignee of the present application, makes a cordlesskeyboard and mouse using 27 mHz radio transmissions to a wireless hubconnected to a USB receiver, connected to the computer.

A number of keyboards incorporate a small LCD display, such as U.S. Pat.No. 5,181,029. A keyboard with a flat panel display is shown in U.S.Pat. No. 6,396,483.

A number of patents disclose providing indicators on a keyboard fornotification of an e-mail message, such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,085,232 and6,088,516.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,114,977 discloses a calculator integrated with akeyboard with a send key for sending the data on the calculator to anapplication on the computer.

Separately from keyboard, numerous remote control devices exist whichhave a display and keys. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,412,377illustrates a hand-held remote with an LCD display.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention uniquely separates the number pad from a keyboardproviding a separate, wireless device. This separate wireless devicewith the number pad includes a display and has multiple modes ofoperation.

In a first mode of operation, the device acts as a classic number pad.In a second mode of operation, the device acts as a calculator. Thecalculated result can be automatically uploaded to the clipboard ofapplication software on a computer through a wireless hub. In a thirdmode, the device provides a navigating function, allowing navigationthrough options in application software either on a PC display or on asmall display on the device, which has been described as a MediaPad™device.

In one embodiment, the MediaPad™ device includes a media button forlaunching a media application for playing music or displaying video orpictures. This media button is duplicated on the keyboard.

For a further understanding of the nature and advantages of theinvention, reference should be made to the following description takenin conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the components of a system according tothe present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the keyboard of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the MediaPad™ device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 shows a portion of the MediaPad™ device of FIG. 3, illustratingthe LCD display.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 illustrates a wireless keyboard 10, wireless mouse 12 andwireless MediaPad™ device 14. All three of these communicate with awireless hub 16, which is connected via a USB cable 18 to the USB portof a computer 20. The computer can be loaded with software from acompact disk 22, and includes a display 24.

Keyboard 10, mouse 12 and MediaPad™ device 14 all communicate usingBluetooth™ technology with hub 16. Hub 16 also acts as a battery chargerfor charging the batteries of mouse 12, which is preferably an opticalmouse.

FIG. 2 illustrates keyboard 10 in more detail. The keyboard includes astandard alpha-numeric key array 26, and function keys 28. In addition,it includes a media button 30 for launching a media application whichcan play music, videos, and display pictures. Media button 30 isvisually linked to a four-way button 32 for selecting among mediaoptions, such as stop, forward, reverse and play/pause. Buttons 30 and32 are visually linked by a plate 34. The keyboard also includes avolume up button 36, volume down button 38 and mute button 40.

MediaPad™ device 14 is illustrated in more detail in FIG. 3. TheMediaPad™ device includes a liquid crystal display (LCD) 42. A numberpad 44 is included, and a number pad button 46 selects the number padfunction for the number pad buttons. A navigate button 48 selects thealternate functions for these number pads. In one embodiment, button 1is “open”, button 3 is “closed”, button 7 is “back”, button 9 is“forward”, button 5 is a Windows Start launching button, and buttons 4,8, 6, and 2 are directional arrows for left, up, right, and down,respectively.

Also included is a clear button 50, an enter button 52, a subtractionbutton 54, an addition button 56, and backslash (/) and asterisk (*)buttons as indicated. A calculate button 58 activates a calculatorapplication.

The MediaPad™ device also includes buttons which duplicate buttons onthe keyboard. These are the volume up button 36, mute button 40, andvolume down button 38, as well as media button 30, four-way button 32and plate 34.

In one embodiment, the MediaPad™ device also includes a scrolling wheel60 which allows scrolling up or down in any application. In addition, arocker switch 62 or a wheel could be used to allow zooming in and out ofany type of document.

The number pad and calculator can be used with the computer display, orwith the small display on the MediaPad™ device itself. The LCD can alsodisplay a variety of other information, which is either a subset of whatis on the computer display or separate from what is on the computerdisplay. For example:

(1) Music related information, such as the artist's name, song title ortrack number.

(2) Video-related information, such as the track name and length ofvideo.

(3) Digital pictures related information, such as the name of thepicture, and preview of the next image while running a slide show on themonitor.

(4) E-mail notification, a notification one has received a new e-mail inthe mailbox.

(5) Instant messaging—the buddy list, instant messages, text messagesrelayed from a cell phone, etc.

(6) News notifications, such as news headlines, sports scores, and stockprices. The MediaPad™ device can then be used to get more detailedinformation from the PC monitor. The navigation button allows selectionof what should be displayed on the LCD.

By putting the number pad on the MediaPad™ device of the presentinvention, the keyboard can be made smaller, and more flexibility isprovided for the arrangement of the keyboard, mouse and MediaPad™ deviceon a desktop. For example, the mouse can be placed closer to thekeyboard, with the MediaPad™ device being placed on the outside where amouse would normally be. This allows the user to easily reach the mousefrom the keyboard. The low profile and zero degree slope surface of thekeyboard and MediaPad™ device shifts the wrist of the user to a moreneutral posture. Alternately, the MediaPad™ device can be placed on theleft for left-handed users.

FIG. 4 illustrates the display of the MediaPad™ device in more detail,showing the example of a song being played, with the top line showingthe artist (the group U2), the track number, and the title of the track.The second line shows the status (playing) and the current elapsed time.

Hub 16 of FIG. 1 allows other devices to be connected as well via theBluetooth™ technology. For example, a connection to a printer can beestablished, so that print jobs can be initiated from the keyboard,mouse or MediaPad™ device by instructions to application software on thecomputer, which will then send the print job over the USB cable 18 tothe hub 16, which includes a transmitter for sending, using Bluetooth™,the print job to a Bluetooth™-equipped printer.

A mobile phone or PDA can also be in communication with Bluetooth™ hub16. Both can synchronize with the software on the computer through theBluetooth™ hub. Data, photos, etc. can be shared between the mobilephone, PDA, PC and MediaPad™ device. The shared photos or other datacould be sent by e-mail or other applications. SMS or text messagesreceived by a cell phone can also be shared via the Bluetooth™ hub whenthe cell phone is within Bluetooth™ distance of the hub. For example, anSMS text message can be sent from the cell phone, through hub 16 toMediaPad™ device 14 for display on the MediaPad™ device's display. Adialog box can be created on the computer display, and the user, oncenotified, can go to a keyboard 10 to reply to the text message. Thisallows a user to use the desktop keyboard, instead of the phone, to do atext message reply.

In another embodiment, a Bluetooth™ headset is used to communicate withhub 16. This can be used for listening to music, or for using a headsetand microphone after launching instant message or chat, with thecommunication over the Bluetooth™ link to hub 16, and from there overthe IM application running on the computer 20.

The present invention with its MediaPad™ device thus allows the personalcomputer to be used as a real media center, controllable from anywherewithin Bluetooth™ range. The MediaPad™ device can be used either withthe computer display in a desk usage mode, or using its own LCD displayin a mobile usage mode. Information can be exchanged in both directionsbetween the computer and the MediaPad™ device. The LCD display allowsthe user to have visibility and understanding of the computerapplication status. The two displays can be used together, with the userusing control information on the MediaPad™ device display, for example,but actually viewing a video or photo on the computer display.

As will be understood by those of skill in the art, the presentinvention could be embodied in other specific forms without departingfrom the essence of the invention. For example, the display could beLEDs instead of an LCD, a wireless technology other than Bluetooth™could be used, and the hub could be integrated into a laptop or othercomputer. Accordingly, the foregoing description is intended to beillustrative, but not limiting, of the scope of the invention which isset forth in the following claims.

1. A computer interface system comprising: a hub connected to saidcomputer and configured to communicate wirelessly with at least threeperipheral devices; a wireless mouse for wirelessly communicating withsaid hub; a wireless keyboard for wirelessly communicating with saidhub, said wireless keyboard having an alphanumeric keyboard but noseparate number pad; and a wireless, mobile media device and numerickeyboard for wirelessly communicating with said hub, said wirelessmobile media device and numeric keyboard including a number pad, adisplay, said mobile media device and numeric keyboard being configuredto provide to said display for a music application, at least one of anartist's name, song title and track number, and for a video application,at least one of a track number, a length of a video, a video title andan elapsed time, and a back button, a forward button, a volume upbutton, a volume down button, a stop button, and a pause button.
 2. Thesystem of claim 1 wherein said wireless mobile media device and numerickeyboard is configured with two modes of operation, a first mode as anumber pad and a second mode as a calculator.
 3. The system of claim 1wherein said wireless mobile media device and numeric keyboard isconfigured to provide a navigating function.
 4. The system of claim 1further comprising a media button on one of said wireless keyboard andsaid wireless numeric keyboard, said media button being configured tolaunch a media application.
 5. The system of claim 4 wherein said mediaapplication comprises one of an application for playing music, anapplication for displaying a video and an application for displayingstill pictures.
 6. The system of claim 1 wherein said wireless mouse,wireless keyboard and wireless numeric keyboard all communicate usingBluetooth™ technology with said hub.
 7. The system of claim 1 whereinsaid hub is connected to a USB port of said computer.
 8. The system ofclaim 1 wherein said wireless keyboard and wireless mobile media deviceand numeric keyboard each include media buttons for performing the samefunctions.
 9. A computer interface system comprising: a hub connected tosaid computer and configured to communicate wirelessly with at leastthree peripheral devices; a wireless mouse for wirelessly communicatingwith said hub; a wireless keyboard for wirelessly communicating withsaid hub, said wireless keyboard having an alphanumeric keyboard but noseparate number pad; a wireless mobile media device and numeric keyboardfor wirelessly communicating with said hub, said wireless mobile mediadevice and numeric keyboard including a number pad and a display.wherein said wireless keyboard and wireless mobile media device andnumeric keyboard each include media buttons for performing the samefunctions; and wherein said media buttons include a volume up button, avolume down button and a mute button.
 10. A computer interface systemcomprising: a hub connected to said computer via a USB port andconfigured to communicate wirelessly using Bluetooth™ technology with atleast three peripheral devices; a wireless mouse for wirelesslycommunicating with said hub; a wireless keyboard for wirelesslycommunicating with said hub, said wireless keyboard having analphanumeric keyboard but no separate number pad; a wireless mobilemedia device and numeric keyboard for wirelessly communicating with saidhub, said wireless mobile media device and numeric keyboard including anumber pad and a display, wherein said wireless mobile media device andnumeric keyboard is configured to provide a navigating function; and amedia button on said wireless mobile media device and numeric keyboard,said media button being configured to launch a media application, saidmedia application comprises one of an application for playing music, anapplication for displaying a video and an application for displayingstill pictures.
 11. The system of claim 2 wherein said wireless mobilemedia device and numeric keyboard is configured with a third mode ofoperation, a navigation mode.
 12. The system of claim 11 wherein saidwireless mobile media device and numeric keyboard further comprises:separate buttons for each of said number pad, calculator and navigatemodes; a media button for launching a media application; a mute button;and number buttons 0-9, a portion of said number buttons having a secondfunction, said function being one of back, forward, open and close.